10 MLB players who deserve to be first-time All-Stars in 2025

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game is July 15 this season, hosted by the Atlanta Braves in Truist Park. There is still over a month until the mid-season break, but it's not too early to start analyzing who should appear at the Midsummer Classic.

All-Star Game starters are determined by two phases of fan voting. In the first phase, fans can pick any player at each position except pitchers. In phase two, the fans can pick between a few top vote-getters at each position. The reserves and pitchers are determined by player ballots and the commissioner's office.

There are always a handful of perennial All-Stars who make the cut — Shohei Ohtani isn't missing an All-Star game for the rest of his career so long as he's healthy — but it's the crop of newcomers who always generate the most discussion among fans.

Let's look at ten players deserving of receiving their first All-Star Game nod.

10 surprising MLB players threatening to crash 2025 All-Star Game rosters

Seiya Suzuki (DH - Chicago Cubs)

Seiya Suzuki is off to an impressive start to the 2025 season. He's on pace to set career highs in home runs, runs scored, and runs batted in. The 30-year-old leads MLB with 51 runs batted in, narrowly ahead of the next guy on this list.

The designated hitter should be a no-doubt All-Star pick this season. He's hitting .273/.333/.569 with 14 home runs and 33 runs scored. This season is Suzuki's fourth MLB season, and the Japanese slugger has seemingly figured out stateside pitching. Suzuki deserves to start the All-Star game at DH, but it will be a challenging task to win the fan voting over Shohei Ohtani. At the least, he should be a NL reserve.

Pete Crow-Armstrong (CF - Chicago Cubs)

Suzuki's teammate, Pete Crow-Armstrong, is exploding in his second full season in MLB. He's batting in the heart of a potent offense, and his numbers are impressive. The center fielder is hitting .275/.303/.563 with 15 home runs, scored 43 runs, and hit in 50 runs.

The 23-year-old is also third in the NL with 16 stolen bases and is playing superlative defense. I'd be surprised if Crow-Armstrong doesn't win the fan vote to be named the starting center fielder, but in the worst-case scenario, he'll get some love from his fellow players in the second phase of voting.

James Wood (LF - Washington Nationals)

James Wood should be another no-doubt first-time All-Star, but he should also be a first-time starter. Wood is in his second year in MLB and has already set career highs in home runs (15) and runs batted in (42). His batting line is impressive: .288/.385/.571. He has also scored 36 runs and stolen nine bases.

What may hurt Woods is that he may lose the fan vote that tends to select the popular names like Juan Soto, although Soto doesn't deserve to start or even make the team. So long as Wood continues to swing a hot bat, the Nationals should have two All-Star representatives.

MacKenzie Gore (SP - Washington Nationals)

MacKenzie Gore has been a hot topic at the beginning of the last few seasons, but he hasn't lived up to the hype until this season, where he has finally broken out in his fourth MLB season.

In 12 starts, he has a 2-5 record, but don't let that fool you. Run support has been an issue because, in those starts, the lefty has posted a 3.16 ERA and has a 101:23 strikeout:walk ratio. Woods or Gore will be a massive snub if the Nationals only get one All-Star representative.

Riley Greene (LF - Detroit Tigers)

The Detroit Tigers' left fielder is in his fourth MLB season but is on pace to set career numbers. He's hitting .274/.330/.500 with 12 home runs, 30 runs scored, and 38 RBIs. He leads AL left fielders in RBIs, is third in runs, and is second in home runs.

The 24-year-old deserves to make his first All-Star game and start in left field. However, like Woods, fan voting may hurt Greene. Detroit isn't a big-market team, and despite their AL-leading record, fans may be more familiar with names like Wyatt Langford, Jose Altuve, or Cody Bellinger. Either way, Greene deserves to be at least a reserve, and the Tigers should get multiple representatives.

Junior Caminero (3B - Tampa Bay Rays)

Junior Caminero struggled after his September call-up last season, but he has figured things out for the Rays this season. He is hitting .256/.284/.473 with 11 home runs, 26 runs scored, and 32 knocked in. Amongst AL third basemen, the 21-year-old ranks in the top four in home runs, runs, and RBIs.

He deserves to be the starter at third base, but like Greene, being on a small-market team may hurt Caminero in fan voting. Alex Bregman may miss the game due to injury, but José Ramírez has been a fan favorite over the years and is also having a superlative season.

Jacob Wilson (SS - Athletics)

Jacob Wilson is one of the best contact hitters in the game today. He strikes out at the second-lowest rate in MLB (5.3 percent). He has many doubles (12) as strikeouts (12).

The rookie's batting line is .348/.391/.505 with seven home runs. He's second on the team in runs scored (30) and runs knocked in (30). The shortstop has an impressive 157 wRC+ as well. The issue for Wilson is that the AL shortstop position has Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, and Corey Seager to contend with.

The Athletics are a tough case because, as you will see next, I feel two players are worthy of their first All-Star Game appearance, but the team will likely only get one or two representatives. That representative will likely be Brent Rooker, who leads the team with 12 home runs, or their shutdown closer, Mason Miller, who is tied for seventh amongst MLB relievers in saves (12).

Tyler Soderstrom (1B, LF - Athletics)

Tyler Soderstrom started the season on fire, hitting nine home runs in March and April with 20 runs scored and 24 batted in. He's since cooled off drastically, only hitting one home run and seven RBIs in May. This ice-cold month could be why he doesn't get the nod, but a hot June could change that. If Soderstrom makes the All-Star Game, then it'll likely be as a left fielder.

Taylor Ward (LF - Los Angeles Angels)

Ward leads the Angels in home runs (15), narrowly beating Logan O'Hoppe (14). The left fielder also leads the team in runs scored (32) and runs batted in (37). His batting line isn't as impressive as the power production he's put up (218/.265/.493.), which could be the difference in being beaten out for the team representative by the next hitter on my list.

Ward is also the third AL left fielder I've mentioned. He, Greene, or Soderstrom will get snubbed because the fan voting may favor a big-market player fans are more familiar with, but not as deserving. The American League outfield picture is incredibly crowded this year.

Logan O'Hoppe (C - Los Angeles Angels)

O'Hoppe is on pace for a career year. His batting line looks a little better than Ward's, .260/.296/.521, with 14 home runs, 20 runs scored, and 30 knocked in. The catching position isn't too competitive in the junior circuit other than Cal Raleigh, which provides O'Hoppe a clearer path to his first All-Star appearance than his teammate.

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